Gas-main stopper.



Patented May 1, 1917.

diamwnmah J. S. DONOHUE.

GAS MAIN STOPPER.

APPLICATION nuzu SEPT. 14. 1916.

ms nckms Pnzns cm. imam-Livia. WASHINGYON. 11v 2.

airman snares, rnn'r ruaren JAMES S. DONOI'IUE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- THIBID TO MICHAEL V. IVIORAN AND ONE-THIRD TO JOHN E. MORELAND, BOTH OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

GAS-MAIN s-rorrnn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 1, 191 2.

, Application filed September 14, 1916. Serial No. 120,187.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES S. DoNoHUn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Main Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in gas main stoppers, and contemplates certain upon the subject matter of my Patent No. 1,151,514, dated August 24, 1915.

The present invention aims, first to provide means for preventing accidental rotation of the rod which limits the expansible movement of the springs which sustain the bag; second to provide an improved seal for the main tap hole, and to also pro vide improved means for holding the seal locked in position on or against the main.

Still further the invention aims to provide improved means for locking the springs in expanded position and to also provide an improved form of bag.

Further and other objects will be later herein set forth and others mentioned in the course of the following description.

In the drawings: I

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the device in collapsed position;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the device in the gas main, and in expanded or operative position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the invention applied to a gas main, the latter shown in section; and,

Fig. & is a section on the line H of Fig. 2. V

The invention involves a base member 1 having an upwardly projecting interiorly threaded tubular extension 2, which latter receives, on its interior, the lower threaded end 3 of a rotatable rod 1. The rod 4 is pro vided with a conical guide or abutment 5, and an upper threaded portion 6, engaged with a lock member 7, having a handle 8. A handle 9 is affixed to the upper end of the rod 4, so that the latter may be turned for a purpose hereinafter set forth.

The base member 1 is provided with a pair of spaced pins 10, upon which are pivotally mounted the lower ends of expansible and contractible strip-like springs 11. The

improvements upper end of each spring is provided with an elongated eye 12, to receive pins 13, carried by a head 14. These elongated eyes permit the upper ends of the springs to have slight movement so as to more readily accommodate themselves to the inner surface of-the gas main. The head 1-1 is formed with a sleeve 15, which latter has handles 16 secured to its upper end.

Slidably mounted over the sleeve 15 is a sliding sleeve 17 which is exteriorly threaded at its lower end and is rigidly locked to the sleeve 15 at any selected position along the length of the latter by a set screw 20. The seal for the tap hole H, of the gas main M, is formed of a rubber ball 19. collapsed in the form shown in the drawings, and perforated to receive the lower end of sleeve 17, and is locked to the latter by means of the nuts 18, as shown particularly in Fig.

2. As is evident from Fig. 2 the ball provides a more effective seal for the tap hole of the main, by extending in and down wardly beyond the tap-hole M, since the lower doubled portion of the ball, being hollow, can more readily accommodate itself to the main, and provides a wide, flat and readily movable seating face, which will more freely give than the solid rubber disk, as shown in my prior patent.

A coil spring 21 surrounds rod a, and seats on the rear end of tubular extension 2, and against the base of the conical guide 3 and serves to tension the rod at so as to act as a lock against-its clockwise or counter clockwise rotation.

Further in the present case there is used a single unitary length or section of rubber tubing 22, within which the springs 11 are received, and to which tubing the bag proper 23 is cemented. The tubing is cut at 24, so as to accommodate the base member 1, as shown in Fig. 2. The use of this single integral continuous rubber tubing results in the bag being strengthened as a whole and also simplified by eliminating the seams and packing 10 disclosed by my prior patent.

In operation, the parts are first brought to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the device is inserted in the main, and the handles 16 gripped so as to move the sleeve 15 and its head 14 downwardly, thereby to move the springs 11 into the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The handle 8 is then ro tated to cause the nut 7 to impinge against the top of the sleeve 15, thereby locking the springs and the bag in their expanded positions.

The downward movement of the head 1% is limited by engagement with the abutment 5 and if it is required, in order to effect a perfect seal, that the springs 11 be further expanded, it is simply necessary to grip handle 9 so as to turn the ,rod et and thereby move abutment 5 farther downwardly, whereupon the handles 16 are again gripped and moved downwardly to again cause head 14: to engage the abutment 5. lhe nut 7 is now further turned downwardly so as to lock sleeve 15 against movement.

Upon the seal being perfected, sleeve 17 is moved downwardly to cause the hollow gasket, provided by ball 19, to snugly engage the tap-hole II, whereupon the set screw 20 is impinged against sleeve 15, so as to lock the sleeve 17 in position. Back-lash of the rod 4 is prevented by the spring 21, and the latter otherwise held against accidental rotation in manipulation of the various parts.

WVhat is claimed is:

'1. In a gas main stopper, expansible and contractible means to close the main, slidable means to move said means into operative position, slidable means borne by said. movin g means so as to move therewith and being movable independently of said moving means to seal the main tap-hole, and means to adjustably lock the sealing means to said moving means.

2. In a gas main stopper, expansible and contractible means to close the main, means to move said means into operative position, and a collapsed flexible ball for sealing the main tap-hole.

3. In a gas main stopper, expansible and contractible means to close the main, means to move said means into operative position, a sleeve slidable on said moving means, a collapsed flexible ball for sealing the main tap-hole carried by said sleeve, and means to lock the sleeve to said moving means.

4. In a gas main stopper, expansible and contractible means to close the main, a sleeve formed for manual engagement to actuate said means, a sleeve slidable on and independently of the first sleeve and borne thereby so as to move therewith, means borne by the second sleeve to seal the main tap-hole, and a set screw to lock adjustably the sleeves together.

5. In a gas main stopper, eXpansible and contraetible means to close the'main, means to move said means into operative position, and means to seal the main tap-hole, including a member having a top formed of two contacting thicknesses and a skirt depending therefrom and formed of diverging side parts connected by a ring-like bottom part.

6. In a gas main stopper, a base member having a tubular interiorly threaded extension, a rod threaded at its lower end in said extension and having a cone guide and an upper threaded part, a coil spring encircling the rod and abutting the guide and the tubular extension, a head slidable on the rod, flat springs connected to the head and base member, a bag carried by the springs, means to seal the main tap-hole, and a lock nut engaged with the upper threaded part of the rod to hold the head locked directly on the rod.

7. In a gas main stopper, a base member having a tubular extension, a rod threaded into said extension and having an abutment, flat springs pivoted at one end to the base member, a head slidable on the rod and to which the other ends of the springs are connected, a bag connected to the springs, means to lock the head directly on the rod, and a coil spring surrounding the rod and abutting the tubular extension and abutment to prevent rotation of the rod except by an extraneous force applied to effect rotation.

8. In a gas main stopper, means to close the main insertible in the main tap-hole, and means to seal said tap-hole including a member supported at its top and having its base free for lateral movement and formed so as to engage with the outer bounding edge of the tap-hole and to project within the latter.

9. In a gas main stopper, means to close the main insertible in the main tap-hole, and means to seal said tap-hole including an inverted cup-like member fixed at its upper part and having. its rim depending and free for lateral movement and engageable with opposite sides of the outer bounding edge of the tap-hole.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

Jar/ins s. nonornm.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. 6. 

